The Chicago Cubs have approached Taiwanese closer Jyun-Yue Tseng with interest in a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, according to reports out of Taiwan.
CPBL columnist Vincent Liao said on his podcast that the Cubs contacted the 24-year-old right-hander from the Fubon Guardians. The report resolved an earlier mystery in which an unnamed National League Central team had reached out to Tseng after he filed for international free agency.
Tseng, listed at 5 feet 8 inches and about 150 pounds, has dominated Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League since debuting at age 19 in 2021. He has served primarily as a closer and high-leverage reliever for the Guardians.
In 2026 he allowed just nine earned runs over 51 1/3 innings for a 1.57 ERA. He struck out 65 batters against 13 walks, posted a 0.95 WHIP and recorded a career-high 25 saves. Advanced metrics from the season showed a 32.7 percent strikeout rate and 30.9 percent whiff rate.
Across his CPBL career Tseng has logged roughly 291 innings with a 2.23 ERA and 342 strikeouts. Other compilations list a 2.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings over 240 1/3 frames through the same span. Either set underscores consistent dominance in a six-year professional career.
His fastball sits in the mid-90s and has been clocked as high as 97.5 to 99 mph. He pairs it with a slider and a sweeper or cutter, giving him multiple weapons in short bursts. At 5-8 he profiles as a pure reliever rather than a starter, similar to other undersized hard-throwing arms who have succeeded in higher leagues.
Tseng has also performed on the international stage for Chinese Taipei. He closed out Taiwan’s upset victory over South Korea at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. In the 2025 WBC qualifiers he struck out the side against Spain, touched 97.3 mph and earned the save that secured qualification.
Taiwanese pitchers have not produced many recent MLB success stories. Chien-Ming Wang and Wei-Yin Chen remain the best-known examples, but both last appeared in the majors years ago. A deal for Tseng would mark one of the more notable recent jumps from the CPBL to an MLB organization under the leagues’ posting system established in 2019.
He previously became eligible for posting after the 2023 season but chose to stay in Taiwan. His decision to pursue international free agency this offseason opens the door to both MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball clubs.
Even if a major-league lockout delays big-league spring training, minor-league camps are expected to proceed on schedule. That would give the Cubs a low-risk window to evaluate Tseng in their system before any potential major-league opportunity.
The Cubs’ bullpen has been a frequent area of focus in recent offseasons. Adding a proven closer from Taiwan on a minor-league pact represents a developmental flier rather than a guaranteed high-impact signing. Still, Tseng’s combination of strikeout stuff, experience closing games and relative youth makes him an intriguing low-cost target.
Reports indicate the interest originated from a National League Central club before being narrowed to the Cubs. No formal agreement has been confirmed, and Tseng could draw attention from other teams or NPB clubs as he weighs his options.
For the Cubs, the pursuit also carries a broader scouting angle. Establishing a connection with Taiwan’s top talent could help build a pipeline to a market that has been underrepresented in recent MLB transactions.
Tseng’s path from Rookie of the Year contender to established closer in the CPBL has been steady. Whether that track record translates against higher-level hitters remains the open question the Cubs appear ready to explore.
